Your GL movie

[GL1]

The tell the freakin writer of GL to stop focusing on single characters Hal Jordan was created in 1956 and wasn't turned into Parallax until 1994, that is a little under 40 years. 40 years where he was the star of his own book. Not just the star of his own, but also the star of the groundbreaking Green Lantern/Green Arrow. 12 years before we saw another human GL, and another 3 before Jon. Kilowag is an 80s character, as are most of the famous aliens. If anyone has next crack at a Green Lantern star it is Kyle Rayner, who ran for about 10 years as the premeir GL. If you want another, maybe Jon who ran on a cartoon most prominently called JLU. 40 years he was GL. On a Wizard Poll the voting for favorite GL went 50% Hal, 48% Kyle, 2% other. Yeah those top 5 are really the stars . That is why everyone on the poll voted 5 ways.

So? You're confusing longevity and popularity among wizard fans with marketability and comics history. In addition, your numbers are wrong. And you also omit John and Alan's numbers. You not only need to reinform yourself, but you have no point.

Actually Fortress Maximus was not only a focal character he was the LEADER OF THE AUTOBOTS FOR OVER HALF THE 80 COMICS as his headmaster head was SPIKE THE MAIN HUMAN CHARACTER, Nightbeat was a focal character for a 1/4 of the run, Galvatron was the main villian for the last 16 issues, and Powermaster Prime and Xaaron were AUTOBOT LEADERS. Kup was a main character EVERY EPISODE FROM THE MOVIE ONWARDS, so great comparison actually.

Being a main character in an ensemble cast isn't the same as starring, nor is there any guarantee that these chracters will star again. You have no point.

Matrix characters did not have powers, unless you consider being human a power. Neo was the only character to develop powers in the series.

Matrix characters can jump from building to building, among other things. They are superhuman. You have no point.

Right but he by far dominated all three films, and the strength of X-Men comes on screen because each character is not carbon copy the same powers and therefore already are interesting prior to any character development.

The strength of the X-Men comes from empathy with an oppressed and victimized people. Read the foreward in your X-Men guides or ask Stan Lee. Each GL is not a carbon copy of the same powers, just as each swordsman is different, so is each GL. No character is intesting prior to character development. Unless they look cool, in which case, ANY character can be interesting prior to character development. You have no point.

Not when Hal was created. And as for Kyle, well all the GLs were dead he was the last.

The Guardians and Corps play a big part in ED. Kyle less so, but all the starring GLs were alive, and played parts in his development into a hero. You have no point.

Actually we do. Coast City is intergral to why Hal becomes Parallax, when it is destroyed. Coast City has to be far more intergral to the plot since audiences will have to sympathize with Hal Jordan when it is destroyed. If Coast City is destroyed and it is just "some city" in the plot the audience will fail to "care" about it.

Read Rebirth. You have no point.

Actually Star Wars only had one Jedi to begin with: Luke, so it is an excellent example. Vader was a Jedi as well however the real battle with him came in Space against Luke. Luke was the focus and there were never a thousand other Jedi in the plot. It took them 4 films before we saw a Jedi pressence similar to the CORP.

Obi-Wan was in the first trilogy, and the recent trilogy worked fine with multiple Jedi. You have no point.

Nope, too many characters for film one. One villian, one hero or else you fall flat on your ass.

Watch (good) Sci-Fi movies. Watch Batman Begins. You have no point.

I meanwhile have several points:

1) Hal should be included in a GL movie, he has the most rabid and vocal comics fans.

2) John should be included in a GL movie, he is the most recognizable GL and plays very well off of Hal. Their partnership has decades of precendent in comics.

3) A GL movie should be a Sci-Fi movie since that is what revived the franchise origionally, what sets GL apart from Superman and Spiderman, because Sci-Fi movies are typically a bit cheaper, have less of a glut in the marketplace for them and allow you to show off the world of GL without having to force it into perceived "realism" that limits most superhero franchises. Not to mention you attract legions of sci-fi fans, making possible not just multiple movies, but multiple trilogies.

4) Sinestro should be used because he is a classic and perennial villain of GLs, especially Hal. His traitor storyline, one constantly recycled throughout GL mythos, is powerful and he makes for great storytelling.

5) The manhunters should be used because they make great cannon fodder for very cool action scenes, and because of their simple robot design, are cheap to make costumes for and CGI. And their link to the GL Corps is simple.

6) The much clamored for ED can be done as an hour long TV special introducing the world to the GL mythos on WB/CW before the movie premieres. It allows the ED story to be told, live action and big budget, without handicapping what has always been conceived of, and is based on, and works best as an epic ensemble franchise/mythos.

7) ED, as a full length feature film representing "all that is Green Lantern" handicaps the franchise, forcing it to be Hal and Earth-centric, taking the rest of the GL mythos, the very thing that makes Hal special, and marginalizing it until Hal is nothing more than a typical superhero, while Alienating the GL fans who aren't Hal-centric. If a sequel to an ED movie centers on any new characters, including Kyle, you betray fans of the first movie, who expect all-and-only Hal, staying on Earth. (Matrix 2 did this same premise/setting betrayal and fans hate it to this day). If a sequel follows the logical cenematic course laid by and ED film, then you constrict Hal to Earth, limiting him to human villains or contrived alien arrivals, shutting out the bulk of what makes the GL mythos impressive. Not to mention making a much more expensive, less marketable movie. Any way you go, if you use ED as the first film, you lose. See number 6 for a logical compromise. Also see number 1. Learn to compromise for the sake of sound logic. Please.

8) At least we all agree that a Green Lantern film needs to be made. Also consider, discussion of a Hal and John team up movie has layers to it. Who should play these guys, all these aliens? What costuming? What point is Hal and Sinestro's relationship at when it starts? How will they do the manhunters? How powerful are manhunters compared to a GL? All these questions are up for discussion and comment. If we say "Just do ED" then there is no discussion, there is no point in posting just to all chime in. Even if ED is "your GL movie" you gain more from at least exploring the idea of a partnership movie. Look how much we've learned, just here, in arguing about it. What if we actually explored it as a viable possibility?

 

[ShadowBoxing]

So? You're confusing longevity and popularity among wizard fans with marketability and comics history. In addition, your numbers are wrong. And you also omit John and Alan's numbers. You not only need to reinform yourself, but you have no point.

Alan Scott has no place in a GL Movie. It would be cool, but if you hate the idea of earth bound GLs who don't fit Sci Fi trilogies then Alan Scott is the kiss of death to that. And actually I had John's numbers. He was introduced in 1971, I have the issue in question, as a angry and excitable GL. He was seldom used for quiet some time. If your referring to Hal exile, I save that for later.

Being a main character in an ensemble cast isn't the same as starring, nor is there any guarantee that these chracters will star again. You have no point.

Nightbeat is getting his own comic series. Spike is a featured part in the upcoming film, Galvatron has reappear in every new cartoon and comic since G1. Go read Transformers then open your mouth.

Matrix characters can jump from building to building, among other things. They are superhuman. You have no point.

No they aren't, they were quiet human. Neo was the only one who could move like the "agents" or faster and stronger in many regards. They did take advantage of the "system" supposedly, but then Neo was the only one to ever utilize powers.

The strength of the X-Men comes from empathy with an oppressed and victimized people. Read the foreward in your X-Men guides or ask Stan Lee. Each GL is not a carbon copy of the same powers, just as each swordsman is different, so is each GL. No character is intesting prior to character development. Unless they look cool, in which case, ANY character can be interesting prior to character development. You have no point.

I have a newsflash for you, ready. X-MEN AREN'T GREEN LANTERN, therefore comparing them on said basis there is idiocy. Green Lanterns have the same powers, each has a construct ring powered by will. Whether they use them differently (as John is more of an ends justify the use type of guy), is irrelevant.

The Guardians and Corps play a big part in ED. Kyle less so, but all the starring GLs were alive, and played parts in his development into a hero. You have no point.

So, Havok was "alive" in X-Men, in fact Marsden and the X-website confirmed this, but it makes no difference to the film, you have no point.

Read Rebirth. You have no point.

Is this the furtherest back you've read because now I am convinced. Hal was exiled in the eighties, do you know why? Because it is curcial to his character. He was exiled because he CONCENTRATED TOO MUCH ON EARTH, IGNORING THE REST OF HIS SECTOR

Obi-Wan was in the first trilogy, and the recent trilogy worked fine with multiple Jedi.

Obi Wan functions in the same capacity Abin Sur does, and the second trilogy was made with a very familiar audience in mind, you have ABSOLUTELY NO POINT.

[/quote]Watch (good) Sci-Fi movies. Watch Batman Begins. You have no point.[/quote]

Good Scifi movies.

Terminator I and II: Minimal characters, strong plot development, earth focused. Moved to becoming more complex in the last 2 movies, introducing a world of Terminators by the 3rd. 3rd flopped.

Aliens: 1 Alien first movie. Strong human element. Second movies introduced large race of aliens

Predator: 1st movie, 1 alien character. Strong human earth bound element, later movies introduced large race of predators.

Transformers (unreleased) - 10 Transformers brought down from 12, strong human cast, large earth bound element. Focusing on gradually bringing the audience into the world of race of Transformers.

Star Wars - First series of movies. 1 Jedi and 1 main villian. The movies became more complex as the Universe grew. 1st movie focused on Luke more as a fighter pilot, then attempted to bring a stronger mystic element into the 2nd and 3rd.

Wow seems like a formula here. Start off simple, generally with only one of the new introduced character (in this case a Lantern), and then in the second film reveal a "race" of said creatures/characters in the second and third films.

I meanwhile have several points:

1) Hal should be included in a GL movie, he has the most rabid and vocal comics fans.

People have yet to argue against that.

2) John should be included in a GL movie, he is the most recognizable GL and plays very well off of Hal. Their partnership has decades of precendent in comics.

I actually agree that John should be included and Guy should be in the second. However like Jim Rhodes in Iron Man, John should be sans ring first film.

3) A GL movie should be a Sci-Fi movie since that is what revived the franchise origionally, what sets GL apart from Superman and Spiderman, because Sci-Fi movies are typically a bit cheaper, have less of a glut in the marketplace for them and allow you to show off the world of GL without having to force it into perceived "realism" that limits most superhero franchises. Not to mention you attract legions of sci-fi fans, making possible not just multiple movies, but multiple trilogies.

Your thinking WAY to far ahead.

Green Lantern while noteworthy for being a scifi character (in a world of scifi characters) was most noteworthy for being the first true human character ever. Before Green Lantern all issues were stand alone. Supporting casts were typically comic relief and background noise. Green Lantern was also the first relevant comic with several characters (including the later Guardians) based on current world leaders and public personas. So in fact Green Lantern is beyond grounded.

As for realism. Not pointing you out in specific. But 1, I never said realism, and 2, if I hear anyone talk about realism in regards to a comic book movie I will punch them in the mouth. Comics are not realistic. And Spider-Man and Superman certainly are not either. However Spider-Man, which is regarded as the best franchise thus far by most, used the same formula as I would use for GL. Start out simple. They had a hero and a villian, two origins and a story.

Emerald Dawn, I don't know why you keep mentioning it, because it is not MY GL story, nor have I claimed it is. In fact I am none too fond of it. It is emotionally unrewarding to say the least, and tends to glaze over problems of the individuals characters as if they are little more than "papercuts". Hal Jordan to me is a man who lost his father, who is afraid to fly, who is a danger to himself and who gets a second chance. Forget the drunk driving, forget the CORP, forget traitors.

That traitor story is a great second film, but the first film needs something more. His father dies, that has to be key, front and center. He cannot manage the relationship with his girlfriend, Carol Ferris. He has a drinking problem. ED addresses these things, but then glosses over them the second we are on Oa (and then he just goes off to Jail for DWI like it ain't no thing...of and gets his job back...puh-leez). Those things need to be explored.

Kyle said putting on the ring was painful, that it took great strength, that is something that needs to be explored.

So what do you have. Hal and his history being established, that will take you a good 15 minutes at least. Hal getting the ring and trying to figure out what it is, another 10 maybe. Hal grappling with the ring as the mess he has made his life begins to fall apart, another 15. Now you have the aliens (Manhunters, Legion, whatever...something in number though) invade Coast City. They start raising cain. At this time the military air force base where Hal works has found Abin Sur's ship and is looking it over, examining the alien tech. The alien invaders (say Manhunters) attack and take Abin Sur's ship and start to raze the city to the ground trying to flush out Sur. They eventually find the ship and abduct the facility of workers and Hal has to go save them.

That is an entire movie right there. Just like your "great Sci Fi" films it keeps a simple and straight forward plot, introducing only the important characters first and testing the waters. You have your connecting to space with both Sur and the Invaders.

4) Sinestro should be used because he is a classic and perennial villain of GLs, especially Hal. His traitor storyline, one constantly recycled throughout GL mythos, is powerful and he makes for great storytelling.

It is great, wonderful story, so is "Demon in a Bottle" and "The Phoenix Saga" and "Spider-Man vs Doc Ock" and "Punisher vs Jigsaw" and "Superman vs Zod"...save them for future films.

5) The manhunters should be used because they make great cannon fodder for very cool action scenes, and because of their simple robot design, are cheap to make costumes for and CGI. And their link to the GL Corps is simple.

Manhunters are like Sentinels in X-Men. They are too important however to be just canon fodder, make them stand alone villians. For me they work especially well in the first film because they introduce the Guardians without having to go to Oa.

6) The much clamored for ED can be done as an hour long TV special introducing the world to the GL mythos on WB/CW before the movie premieres. It allows the ED story to be told, live action and big budget, without handicapping what has always been conceived of, and is based on, and works best as an epic ensemble franchise/mythos.

There are only one of two characters who have enough money banked in them for "hour long TV specials" leading up to the film are Batman and Superman.

7) ED, as a full length feature film representing "all that is Green Lantern" handicaps the franchise, forcing it to be Hal and Earth-centric, taking the rest of the GL mythos, the very thing that makes Hal special, and marginalizing it until Hal is nothing more than a typical superhero, while Alienating the GL fans who aren't Hal-centric. If a sequel to an ED movie centers on any new characters, including Kyle, you betray fans of the first movie, who expect all-and-only Hal, staying on Earth. (Matrix 2 did this same premise/setting betrayal and fans hate it to this day). If a sequel follows the logical cenematic course laid by and ED film, then you constrict Hal to Earth, limiting him to human villains or contrived alien arrivals, shutting out the bulk of what makes the GL mythos impressive. Not to mention making a much more expensive, less marketable movie. Any way you go, if you use ED as the first film, you lose. See number 6 for a logical compromise. Also see number 1. Learn to compromise for the sake of sound logic. Please.

Here is where you completely misunderstand movies. I read an X-Men script once before X1 that covered more of what X-Men is than all three films. It had Magneto, Nimrod, the death of Thunderbird, origins of Cyclops, Wolverine and Storm, Juggernaut, the Brotherhood, etc. However the script forgot the golden rule, always leave people wanting more. You don't want "All that is GL" in one film, or else you have no more film. Oa and the CORP are a great 2nd Film, in fact they carry an entire film by themselves. As done an origin and introduction story. You want people to Comprimise for the sake of LOGIC? No you want comprimise for the sake of seeing ALL YOUR favorite GL moments in one film. Rebirth, Oa, Gaurdians, CORP, Sinestro, Abin Sur, Hal and his homeworld, Kilowag, Guy, John, Manhunters, origins...in one film Are you high? Seriously. Audiences don't even know if they like ONE GL yet, you want to force thousands of them on them. Popular movies have one and only one similar thread, they are simple and easy to understand. Cult classics (Like Transformers the movie, which was made entirely for a fan base) and Oscar Winners may be hopelessly complex sometimes. But Crash doesn't expect a huge box office return...it is not made for that purpose anyways, GL would want it. Green Lantern needs to be simple, more than that it needs to be focused...then later you can take knowledge and suspension of belief for granted. But now it needs to be a straight to the point film.

8) At least we all agree that a Green Lantern film needs to be made. Also consider, discussion of a Hal and John team up movie has layers to it. Who should play these guys, all these aliens? What costuming? What point is Hal and Sinestro's relationship at when it starts? How will they do the manhunters? How powerful are manhunters compared to a GL? All these questions are up for discussion and comment. If we say "Just do ED" then there is no discussion, there is no point in posting just to all chime in. Even if ED is "your GL movie" you gain more from at least exploring the idea of a partnership movie. Look how much we've learned, just here, in arguing about it. What if we actually explored it as a viable possibility?

yep

 

[GL1]

Yay! I had a feeling if I restated my points you might address them!

Alan Scott has no place in a GL Movie. It would be cool, but if you hate the idea of earth bound GLs who don't fit Sci Fi trilogies then Alan Scott is the kiss of death to that. And actually I had John's numbers. He was introduced in 1971, I have the issue in question, as a angry and excitable GL. He was seldom used for quiet some time. If your referring to Hal exile, I save that for later.

Okay...

Nightbeat is getting his own comic series. Spike is a featured part in the upcoming film, Galvatron has reappear in every new cartoon and comic since G1. Go read Transformers then open your mouth.

Mark Bright is writing a one shot on Nightbeat, is that are you talking about? Please provide a link about this Nightbeat ongoing series. "Spike" has been changed to "Sam," last time I checked and of course, none of these characters carry books on their own. Singular issues, sure, but not a whole series dedicated to any of them. There's no comparison here.

No they aren't, they were quiet human. Neo was the only one who could move like the "agents" or faster and stronger in many regards. They did take advantage of the "system" supposedly, but then Neo was the only one to ever utilize powers.

Agents aren't human, using them as a benchmark for what is superhuman is illogical. Matrix had a bunch of characters performing obviously superhuman feats while being distinct individuals.

I have a newsflash for you, ready. X-MEN AREN'T GREEN LANTERN, therefore comparing them on said basis there is idiocy. Green Lanterns have the same powers, each has a construct ring powered by will. Whether they use them differently (as John is more of an ends justify the use type of guy), is irrelevant.

Well, not only are you wrong about John, but we agree that X-Men aren't Green Lanterns, so comparing them as a point for why multiple GLs are boring is also pointless. You refer to it as idiocy.

So, Havok was "alive" in X-Men, in fact Marsden and the X-website confirmed this, but it makes no difference to the film, you have no point.

So we both have no point. Agreed.

Is this the furtherest back you've read because now I am convinced. Hal was exiled in the eighties, do you know why? Because it is curcial to his character. He was exiled because he CONCENTRATED TOO MUCH ON EARTH, IGNORING THE REST OF HIS SECTOR

I'm sure DC Editorial wasn't under direction of the fictional characters in their universe. I also don't see what any reason for such an editorial move would have on a movie today. I of course, have read farther back, how else could I like John Stewart? I do know enough to know that no one list Hal's exile as a crucial part of his character, or why they like the character.

Obi Wan functions in the same capacity Abin Sur does, and the second trilogy was made with a very familiar audience in mind, you have ABSOLUTELY NO POINT.

Obi Wan is responsbile for several chains of events in the first movie, google a synopsis and you'll see. Also, the second trilogy does not require a knowledge of the first.

Good Scifi movies.

Terminator I and II: Minimal characters, strong plot development, earth focused. Moved to becoming more complex in the last 2 movies, introducing a world of Terminators by the 3rd. 3rd flopped.

Aliens: 1 Alien first movie. Strong human element. Second movies introduced large race of aliens

Predator: 1st movie, 1 alien character. Strong human earth bound element, later movies introduced large race of predators.

Transformers (unreleased) - 10 Transformers brought down from 12, strong human cast, large earth bound element. Focusing on gradually bringing the audience into the world of race of Transformers.

Star Wars - First series of movies. 1 Jedi and 1 main villian. The movies became more complex as the Universe grew. 1st movie focused on Luke more as a fighter pilot, then attempted to bring a stronger mystic element into the 2nd and 3rd.

Wow seems like a formula here. Start off simple, generally with only one of the new introduced character (in this case a Lantern), and then in the second film reveal a "race" of said creatures/characters in the second and third films.

Do you claim this list to be exhaustive? Are any of these franchises based on an intergalactic police force? Do you consider Aliens, Predator and Terminator pure or epic Science Fiction in the same sense of Star Trek, Star Wars, Stargate, Starcraft, and the Last Starfighter?

Star Wars IV had 2 Jedi (IF you count Luke), and many villains, with one or two leading.

I actually agree that John should be included and Guy should be in the second. However like Jim Rhodes in Iron Man, John should be sans ring first film.

GL is not Iron Man and John Stewart's partnership with Hal is very different from Tony and Jim's. John is a GL. My reasons given were unaddressed. My point stands.

Your thinking WAY to far ahead.

Green Lantern while noteworthy for being a scifi character (in a world of scifi characters) was most noteworthy for being the first true human character ever. Before Green Lantern all issues were stand alone. Supporting casts were typically comic relief and background noise. Green Lantern was also the first relevant comic with several characters (including the later Guardians) based on current world leaders and public personas. So in fact Green Lantern is beyond grounded.

What world of Sci-Fi characters? That statmeent isn't clear. Furthermore, none of that takes aware from the importance and signifcance of the sci-fi aspect. Sci-Fi is always good when it's grounded.

As for realism. Not pointing you out in specific. But 1, I never said realism, and 2, if I hear anyone talk about realism in regards to a comic book movie I will punch them in the mouth. Comics are not realistic. And Spider-Man and Superman certainly are not either. However Spider-Man, which is regarded as the best franchise thus far by most, used the same formula as I would use for GL. Start out simple. They had a hero and a villian, two origins and a story.

Spider-Man isn't Green Lantern. I would not all the same formulas for a GL franchise, because the GL mythos are an order of magnitude larger than Spider-Man's. They cover more ground and more scale and most importantly, different themes and concepts.

Emerald Dawn, I don't know why you keep mentioning it, because it is not MY GL story, nor have I claimed it is. In fact I am none too fond of it. It is emotionally unrewarding to say the least, and tends to glaze over problems of the individuals characters as if they are little more than "papercuts". Hal Jordan to me is a man who lost his father, who is afraid to fly, who is a danger to himself and who gets a second chance. Forget the drunk driving, forget the CORP, forget traitors.

Most people seem to clamor for it. Many of my statements and points are general, and not directed at you.

That traitor story is a great second film, but the first film needs something more. His father dies, that has to be key, front and center. He cannot manage the relationship with his girlfriend, Carol Ferris. He has a drinking problem. ED addresses these things, but then glosses over them the second we are on Oa (and then he just goes off to Jail for DWI like it ain't no thing...of and gets his job back...puh-leez). Those things need to be explored.

Kyle said putting on the ring was painful, that it took great strength, that is something that needs to be explored.

So what do you have. Hal and his history being established, that will take you a good 15 minutes at least. Hal getting the ring and trying to figure out what it is, another 10 maybe. Hal grappling with the ring as the mess he has made his life begins to fall apart, another 15. Now you have the aliens (Manhunters, Legion, whatever...something in number though) invade Coast City. They start raising cain. At this time the military air force base where Hal works has found Abin Sur's ship and is looking it over, examining the alien tech. The alien invaders (say Manhunters) attack and take Abin Sur's ship and start to raze the city to the ground trying to flush out Sur. They eventually find the ship and abduct the facility of workers and Hal has to go save them.

That is an entire movie right there. Just like your "great Sci Fi" films it keeps a simple and straight forward plot, introducing only the important characters first and testing the waters. You have your connecting to space with both Sur and the Invaders.

Or Not. That's an okay story, but it "glazes over" many of the points that I brought up, ones that you claim to be responding to. Not only that, but it's so simple it can be covered in an hour. Furthermore, you don't even explain what "more" this film brings to the table. And you keep saying "has to" and "must" with no basis or reasoning. My reasons given were unaddressed. My point stands.

It is great, wonderful story, so is "Demon in a Bottle" and "The Phoenix Saga" and "Spider-Man vs Doc Ock" and "Punisher vs Jigsaw" and "Superman vs Zod"...save them for future films.

Or not. No reason was given to save this story as opposed to Krona or Parallax. Sinestro is GL's most iconic villain. Sinestro is a well developed GL villain who is powerful enough to give Hal Jordan a one on one fight. Some of my reasons were undaddressed. My point stands.

Manhunters are like Sentinels in X-Men. They are too important however to be just canon fodder, make them stand alone villians. For me they work especially well in the first film because they introduce the Guardians without having to go to Oa.

Hmmm... they tend to get blown up pretty quickly once the GL figures out what's going on. Not sure why you feel that they're so important in and of themselves. Also, being robots, Manhunters lack an emotional center necessary for good storytelling as stand alone villains. My reasons were unaddressed. My point stands.

There are only one of two characters who have enough money banked in them for "hour long TV specials" leading up to the film are Batman and Superman.

That's why movies have budgets. My reasons were unaddressed, my point stands, AND incorporates your plot for an earthbound Hal-centric story.

Here is where you completely misunderstand movies. I read an X-Men script once before X1 that covered more of what X-Men is than all three films. It had Magneto, Nimrod, the death of Thunderbird, origins of Cyclops, Wolverine and Storm, Juggernaut, the Brotherhood, etc. However the script forgot the golden rule, always leave people wanting more. You don't want "All that is GL" in one film, or else you have no more film. Oa and the CORP are a great 2nd Film, in fact they carry an entire film by themselves. As done an origin and introduction story. You want people to Comprimise for the sake of LOGIC? No you want comprimise for the sake of seeing ALL YOUR favorite GL moments in one film. Rebirth, Oa, Guardians, CORP, Sinestro, Abin Sur, Hal and his homeworld, Kilowag, Guy, John, Manhunters, origins...in one film Are you high? Seriously.

Okay, that's enough. I'll say it AGAIN. Hal. John. Sinestro. Manhunters. Sci-Fi. This bolded statement is an outright lie. Perhaps you thought that "representing" means the same thing as "portraying." I assure you, they are different words with different meanings and different implications on what would be portrayed in a GL Movie. I've italicized the things that figure prominently into my GL movie idea (still developing) for your education, and hopefully, to inspire you to ask questions. You have no point.

You may continue...

Audiences don't even know if they like ONE GL yet, you want to force thousands of them on them. Popular movies have one and only one similar thread, they are simple and easy to understand. Cult classics (Like Transformers the movie, which was made entirely for a fan base) and Oscar Winners may be hopelessly complex sometimes. But Crash doesn't expect a huge box office return...it is not made for that purpose anyways, GL would want it. Green Lantern needs to be simple, more than that it needs to be focused...then later you can take knowledge and suspension of belief for granted. But now it needs to be a straight to the point film.

Matrix. Star Wars. Star Trek. Do we want to see more of this "Universe?" Not do we want to see more of this "Person." That is the difference between Sci-Fi and traditional Action fare, and that is why it works for the GL Mythos. My reasons were unaddressed. My point stands.

yep

So... why aren't you discussing it? My point stands.

I grow weary of you quoting me and not responding to my statements. I think you may indeed outlast me.

 

[dnno1]

While I am watching you two argue I am noticing a few things. First of all, Green Lantern was a comic that only lasted 10 years before they had to include Green Arrow, which made it last for a couple of more. By 1972 it was canceled at issue #89. Yes, it was revived again four years later, but was then canceled again ten years after that and replaced by a new Green Lantern. I can only conclude that this was because the stories were not as compelling as titles such as Superman and Batman, who have been consistently selling for more than 60 years. So much for being consistent over the 40 years. I can not see how writing about a single earth based character fighting crime like a Green Hornet with the most powerful weapon in the universe without an ensemble cast is going to fill a lot of seats knowing that films like "Star Wars" and "Star Trek" became lucrative franchises doing that. Now back to the strategy that I suggested. If you want to lure Star Wars, Star Trek, and LoTR fans to your movie, you will need to write a storyline that is similar to the genere that they like and are accustomed to. The types of films that they go to in droves and have conventions about have ensemble casts with (heroic and villianous) characters that these fans can pick and choose from whom they like. A GLC type movie could fit that bill and give them characters like Hal, John, Guy, Kyle, Katama, Mogo Sinestro, Fatality, Krona, The Empire of Tears, The Quardians, and a whole host of others to choose from as their favorites. Allan Scott could be in the film (in a cameo role) as a favorite comic book character of John's (Just like the Guardsman was in JL). Just think of the revenue that could be generated from the licensing of action figures, trading cards, et. al. The storyline could be space based with the subplot centering around the Emerald Tyilight/Parallax tale and Hal Jordan's origin could be written in as a flashback. I think that this is a good idea that could justify the cost of making such a film.

 

[GL1]

Yeah... that sounds ace dnno1,

I'm just imagining the fleet of Manhunters decending upon Oa in sky blackening (reddening) numbers and poor little Arisia looking up in the sky heart broken, Kilowogg steps in with an encouraging word "We gotta hold out for Hal and the others." Cut to Hal and John back to back and knee deep in something ugly. There's just so much to do with GLs in space, while I don't get too excited over merchandising, the idea of an intergalactic police force coming apart at the seams just blows my mind with possibilities.

I did this great RP with some new-to-GL friends of mine, they were being overrun on a planet called Mogo, and they kept calling for backup. Just as they escaped a big green wave wiped away the opposition and they finally found out who was the GL of the sector. Their faces were infinitely priceless. Though, in the interest of simplicity, I'm not sure if high-concept GLs like Mogo, Rot Lop Fan and Raker Quirrigat should be included in the first film.

Alan Scott should definitely have a cameo and each GL should have a nightmare at some point detailing the tragedy in their lives that formed their personality, that robbed them of fear, though, Kyle of course, doesn't have that problem, which is what makes his eventual victory over Parallax cool (and possible).

 

[ShadowBoxing]

While I am watching you two argue I am noticing a few things. First of all, Green Lantern was a comic that only lasted 10 years before they had to include Green Arrow, which made it last for a couple of more. By 1972 it was canceled at issue #89. Yes, it was revived again four years later, but was then canceled again ten years after that and replaced by a new Green Lantern. I can only conclude that this was because the stories were not as compelling as titles such as Superman and Batman, who have been consistently selling for more than 60 years. So much for being consistent over the 40 years. I can not see how writing about a single earth based character fighting crime like a Green Hornet with the most powerful weapon in the universe without an ensemble cast is going to fill a lot of seats knowing that films like "Star Wars" and "Star Trek" became lucrative franchises doing that. Now back to the strategy that I suggested. If you want to lure Star Wars, Star Trek, and LoTR fans to your movie, you will need to write a storyline that is similar to the genere that they like and are accustomed to. The types of films that they go to in droves and have conventions about have ensemble casts with (heroic and villianous) characters that these fans can pick and choose from whom they like. A GLC type movie could fit that bill and give them characters like Hal, John, Guy, Kyle, Katama, Mogo Sinestro, Fatality, Krona, The Empire of Tears, The Quardians, and a whole host of others to choose from as their favorites. Allan Scott could be in the film (in a cameo role) as a favorite comic book character of John's (Just like the Guardsman was in JL). Just think of the revenue that could be generated from the licensing of action figures, trading cards, et. al. The storyline could be space based with the subplot centering around the Emerald Tyilight/Parallax tale and Hal Jordan's origin could be written in as a flashback. I think that this is a good idea that could justify the cost of making such a film.

Here is both your problems. In one breath you say, and have said in other threads, Green Lantern has problems carrying a book or staying stable. Which is true. Then in another breath you exclaim I want a massive space epic. Massive space epics cost a lot of money. Big casts, big villians, big action all require a studio very confident in said character to see a return. I think one reason the "zany Jack Black" comedy came about is because the studio simply was not confident at the ability of any GL to carry a film, let alone a space epic. A "mask-esque" comedy to them fit a bill they felt could make a return.

Secondly, WB is not in the business of making sci-fi cult classics out of their superheroes properties. They want money. Love on Stargate (which I think is a horrible movie ) all you want but you will never ever see a GL film like Star Trek or LoTR unless a studio is SUPREMELY confident in said property. I got news for you, they ain't.

Thirdly, you seem very married to having things, again exactly like they are in the comic. Because there is currently a CORP and Sinestro in the comic there must be one in the movie. That is backwards logic for writing. Things need to be established. While I am not a creative writer (though I do write recreationally) I am, according to my editor, a very gifted essay writer. In any writing you need to start with a premise, and most importantly you need to establish everything you set out to do in about the first paragraph. Everything. So as a writer you want me to establish for a first film, Oa, the Gaurdians (who they are and what they do), the Manhunters, Several Green Lanterns, what a Green Lantern is and how his powers work, a villian in Sinestro and who the main GL is.

You cannot just start a story off. Establishing characters, plots, subtext, themes and motifs are very hard.

For example

GL ORIGIN: Father/son relationship, alcoholism/dealing with father's death, relationships with Carol and brother (Jim or Jack or both). Relationship to surroundings. Hal developing and overcoming.

GL CORP: (Film 2) can deal with racism (alien racism) within CORP, see development of Hal as a leader. Establish Oa, Guardians, perhaps have themes dealing with power and use of, unification.

Transformers, by Bay, is actually an excellent example of what Green Lantern will have to be. Transformers, despite what you all don't seem to know about it, has a mythology that dominates Green Lantern up and down. Not only do you have the history of the race itself, but you have elements strung together from almost 20 separate and distinct continuities.

I actually sat down to write, and have written, several fan scripts and plots for Transformers seasons and movies. But when I tried to write an entirely new Transformers movie for a general audience I was baffled.

Transformers has a cast that makes LOTR look like a quiet tea party, it is a massive all out war. You have over 300 characters from just series one, and everyone has a well developed personality from somewhere (either cartoon or comic or Japan). However even though I find myself wanting Technobots, Horrorcons, Predacons, Targetmasters, Headmasters, Powermasters and Pretenders and all these other characters and mythologies (like Unicron and the Matrix) in one film. It cannot be done.

Bay did it right, for once. He took the very basic 5 characters from each side and set up a simple, easy to follow plot. If it bites with the audience there will be more. TFTM, the original, is panned by critics and non fans because they crammed a ton of mythology and characters into the movie. Just like X-Men, the new TFTM boiled it down to a basic story.

You might think a Hal centric origin story I describes last one hour. But X-Men and Spider-Man had simple plots as well. Neither or which were an hour. However now Spider-Man 3 promises villians like Venom, Sandman, Mysterio and HobGoblin (maybe? GG2) all in one jammed packed film...a black costume and Gwen thrown in for good measure. And X3, while IMO bad, threw together a complex series homaging plot as well.

Fans with large mythologies forget that audiences don't give a damn. Green Lantern is Showcase all over again. Just as X-Men is basically an X-Men #1 type story, so is GL.

WB just won't buy your space epic, not until general audiences are convinced this one Green Lantern is worth enough of their time to pay for one.

 

[dnno1]

Here is both your problems. In one breath you say, and have said in other threads, Green Lantern has problems carrying a book or staying stable. Which is true. Then in another breath you exclaim I want a massive space epic. Massive space epics cost a lot of money. Big casts, big villians, big action all require a studio very confident in said character to see a return. I think one reason the "zany Jack Black" comedy came about is because the studio simply was not confident at the ability of any GL to carry a film, let alone a space epic. A "mask-esque" comedy to them fit a bill they felt could make a return...

The reason why we are saying to go with a space epic is because the former premise, going with a solo character like Hal Jordan and basing it on the comics is a weak plot line. It was weak in the comics (and you agree with this) so we couldn't expect it to be any different in a major motion picture. Like I said before, a space epic would lure a larger demographic than the combination of comic book fans and the cartoon audience. I don't think you can associate a space based film with a big budget. "Serenity" was made on a budget of $38 million. "X-Men" was made for $75 million. "Starship Troopers" (which was part black comedy) was made for $95 million. Each of these films had ensemble casts (although "X-Men" was not a space based film) and made money. So what are you talking about? If they don't screw around with different writers and different scripts over several years, I don't see any reason why a film like this couldn't be made for less than $80 million ($125 million tops).

...Secondly, WB is not in the business of making sci-fi cult classics out of their superheroes properties. They want money. Love on Stargate (which I think is a horrible movie ) all you want but you will never ever see a GL film like Star Trek or LoTR unless a studio is SUPREMELY confident in said property. I got news for you, they ain't...

The Warner Brothers is partly in the business of making movies. They have been for almost a hundred years now. What they don't want to do is take a lot of financial risk making a film. That is why the wholly finance the blue chippers (the "Harry Potter" franchise for example), co-finance others (like "Superman Returns"), or just allow some other party to finance the film and just retain the rights to distribute the pic. If some producer pitched a good story with a good rational to get your money back on the investment, I think that the WB would find a way to finance the project, and I think the strategy proposed is good enough to warrant such financing. Stargate by the way is an MGM/UA property. If you wanted to use a Warner Brothers Sci-Fi cult classic, you should have used the Matrix franchise or something like that.

...Thirdly, you seem very married to having things, again exactly like they are in the comic. Because there is currently a CORP and Sinestro in the comic there must be one in the movie. That is backwards logic for writing. Things need to be established. While I am not a creative writer (though I do write recreationally) I am, according to my editor, a very gifted essay writer. In any writing you need to start with a premise, and most importantly you need to establish everything you set out to do in about the first paragraph. Everything. So as a writer you want me to establish for a first film, Oa, the Gaurdians (who they are and what they do), the Manhunters, Several Green Lanterns, what a Green Lantern is and how his powers work, a villian in Sinestro and who the main GL is...

Well i for one did not necessarily say that it was manditory. All I was trying to convey was that there was enough source material to model a Green Lantern story that could appeal to both Star Wars and Star trek Fans. The use of the GLC and villians like Sinestro and the Qwardians would parallel with the Jedi, the federation, the Sith, and the Klingongs. As for the premise, that can be left up to the writer of the screenplay to figure out.

...Fans with large mythologies forget that audiences don't give a damn. Green Lantern is Showcase all over again. Just as X-Men is basically an X-Men #1 type story, so is GL.

It doesn't have to be. Like I said before the film could be tailored to the audience you are trying to market to. It seems that films with ensemble casts, lots of space based action and thrilling adventure appeal to Trekies and Wookies and there is enough to draw from the source material to make a Green Lanter film that would have that appeal.

WB just won't buy your space epic, not until general audiences are convinced this one Green Lantern is worth enough of their time to pay for one.

Once again, it's all in how the story is pitched to the studio.

 

[GL1]

I'm editing my post because dnno1 said it all:

samples of what I had said:
-Green Lantern is not Showcase all over again, the audience, character, and medium are vastly different now.
-Transformers will have multiple characters and villains and be simple, why shouldn't GL?
-Also, Hal's origin story can be done in a 60-second nightmare-flashback montage. Spider-Man's cannot.
-See (all of) point 7 and replace "ED" with "Hal-Only Earth-Only movie."
-WB is sitting on a huge franchise, and I hope they don't waste it failing to copy Spider-Man or X-Men.

Regardless of all, I would establish story, characters, etc like so:

"Green Lantern:" Hal Jordan recruits John and shows him the world of Green Lantern. While trying to get aclimated, the Corps is thrown into upheaval by a rogue GL, Sinestro and the GL's predecessors, the Manhunters. Teacher/Student relationship grows to partnership, subplots of a romantic relationship, a competitive relationship turns adversarial, spread over a sampling of the universe's key planets. Cameo Kilowogg. Explore themes of fear vs courage, control vs self control and friendship forged in hardship.

I'd much rather have a second film deal with corrupting power, loss and coping than 'racism within the Corps,' a counter-intuitive concept. Establishing Oa, the Guardians and Hal as a leader would be awesome though.

But, ShadowBoxing, while extreme, does bring up a good question... are Oa and the Guardians "too big" for a first movie? Would it be better to feature just a few Green Lanterns and a few different planets so that arriving on Oa has some scale to it in the finale of the movie or in the sequel? Perhaps, dispalying the GL HQ on Oa might be cool, but leaving the Guardians to a mysterious cameo seems to have cinematic and storytelling advantages... hmm...

And while I love Star Wars, I hope that the Corps delineates from the Jedi a bit, not only in the fact that they are a police force as opposed to 100% pacifist peacekeepers, but that they do more than just battle the dark side of their powers. While Sinestro gets his due, I'd rather center on Black Hand, Krona and Parallax over the Qwardians, Controllers and Zamarons (and their creations).

 

[ShadowBoxing]

Did you ever sit down to write a Transformers film and just have Optimus Prime? That's the same as having a GL film with just Hal Jordan. Oh, and I know more about Transformers than you say I do.

No, actually it is not, since no Transformers story features only Prime, while most the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s GL stories feature Hal Jordan as the only or focal character. Optimus Prime is a leader of a battlion, not a lone policeman of a sector of the Universe.

"Green Lantern:" Hal Jordan recruits John and shows him the world of Green Lantern. While trying to get aclimated, the Corps is thrown into upheaval by a rogue GL, Sinestro and the GL's predecessors, the Manhunters. Teacher/Student relationship grows to partnership, love relationship, competitive relationship turns adversarial, sampling of the universe's key planets. Cameo Kilowogg. Explore themes of fear vs courage, control vs self control and friendship forged in hardship.

I am going to play general audience member #1

Why do we need two humans if Green Lanterns patrol their respective sectors. If it is a sampling, then Hal apparently already is the earth sample.

Who are the Manhunters, is this explained, why does Sinestro hate the league.

Shouldn't Sinestro have different powers from GL, not just be a yellow version of him, that is redundant and boring to me.

Why is he recruiting him when the CORP is in upheaval? It seems like that should be dealt with first.

Why does he recruit this guy, John?

Is there a love interest, why is John compelled to do anything, why doesn't he leave, why does he accept in the first place?

This story is extremely weak. The origin of Hal gives us an accidental origin to GL, and as you will see I do an excellent job of connecting both reason and motivation to the character. Your premise is extremely detached, and I am already detrached from it. You, like most comic fans, think it is all about the villian. You have given me an interesting villian premise, however I already find myself rooting for the villian since his pressence grabs my attention more than Hal and John's. If I were John, frankly this deal seems like it is not worth it, I would quit by the end of the film.

My story which would involve Hal chanelling his second chance to face his fear and live up to the legacy of his father gives us a hero to root for, not just a complex villian plot to watch.

Well i for one did not necessarily say that it was manditory. All I was trying to convey was that there was enough source material to model a Green Lantern story that could appeal to both Star Wars and Star trek Fans. The use of the GLC and villians like Sinestro and the Qwardians would parallel with the Jedi, the federation, the Sith, and the Klingongs. As for the premise, that can be left up to the writer of the screenplay to figure out.

Hence your problem. Transformers the Movie very much parrallels Star Wars Episodes I-III in the fact that Transformers the movie almost makes no reference to what the Transformers "were" or "how they came to be". To fans the movie was excellent, a cult classic. But unlike Star Trek and Star Wars and LOTR (and HGttG), Transformers is unknown. To general audiences Transformers The Movie is seen as confusing, aloof, all action/no substance, and several reviewers noted "they did not care about the characters". This would evitably be your GL film. Star Trek, Star Wars, even Batman and Spider-Man bank on strong existing fanbases and have a public who has a general knowledge of what they are about. As far as the public is concerned you could make Green Lantern in a fat guy who created a giant green pair of boxer shorts to fight crime (actual pitched idea).

Your character has a strong mythology, but such mythologies took 40 years to develop. As you point out there are several factions and races and GL. Each race needs to be developed and created, and done in the first act. It's easy to write Episode I when the abscence of your series has only served to strengthen it's pressence in the public mind.

Secondly, again you seem very married to the doing it exactly like the comic. This is always trouble with fan scripts. While your ideas sound good to a comic fan, they are very convienent. Almost, if not exactly, what occurs in the comic. Nolan, for example, was not so stupid as to assume the general audience would just believe that bat villians simply went crazy and dawned masks. He carefully established reasons (the fear gas on Arkham Inmates and escalation) for why villians like Scarecrow become more Batman-esque.

Raimi understood no one would buy the convienent lab explosions and webshooters comic fans seemed so married to. X-Men director Bryan Singer understood that the "yellow spandex" and large team was too much for his movies. Instead utilizing the creative solution of including mutants as cameo students, as opposed to X-Men.



As for the strength of Emerald Dawn and Showcase. Both you and GL1 don't seem to understand, so I will say it for you again....I AM NOT FOLLOWING ED. There got it, good . I would be making A LOT of changes, including more focus on his relationship with his father, more villians, more mystery regarding the ring, more of the pain associated with it, and even a huge twist at the end which would bring in the Guardians of Oa. However the general creation of the hero in the story is very strong, especially the scene with Abin Sur, which is crucial to the GL mythology.

 

[GL1]

No, actually it is not, since no Transformers story features only Prime, while most the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s GL stories feature Hal Jordan as the only or focal character. Optimus Prime is a leader of a battlion, not a lone policeman of a sector of the Universe.

Neither is Hal. The rest of this part has been dealt with multiple times. Points 1-8 still stand.

I am going to play general audience member #1

No, you're not. You're actually going to make up reasons why an audience wouldn't like the movie and try to justify them based on incorrect and previously addressed/disproven assumptions. Watch.

Why do we need two humans if Green Lanterns patrol their respective sectors. If it is a sampling, then Hal apparently already is the earth sample.

Funny, they don't ask real policemen this question, why they have partners. The audeince has no reason to prefer one GL to two. This question would never be asked.

Who are the Manhunters, is this explained, why does Sinestro hate the league.

Why ever would you assume these things aren't explained? I didn't assume any such thing with your idea. And I'm sure you meant the Corps. The manhunters are the old robots from before the GL Corps, peacekeeping relics gone bad. Sinestro is a control freak, and he is simply going overboard in trying to secure order in the universe. He doesn't hate the Guardians, he just feels he can do their job better, because he's the "best GL" going by the numbers.

Shouldn't Sinestro have different powers from GL, not just be a yellow version of him, that is redundant and boring to me.

Star Wars. Matrix. Star Trek. Heck, Harry Potter, sword fighting movies, guns and martial arts movies. No one asks this question for those movies. Do you know why?

Why is he recruiting him when the CORP is in upheaval? It seems like that should be dealt with first.

The Corps wouldn't be in upheval yet. This question would never be asked. But for the sake of scale, it would be prudent for the story to revolve around a 'plot against the Corps' rather than full scale anarchy.

Why does he recruit this guy, John?

Hmm... valid question. When John asks "why me," Hal explains what a GL is supposed to be (creative, fearless, moral, strong mind), "and they figure you're close enough." John discovers why, (and shows the audience) when he sees the big picture of what's going on and puts his plan to fix it into action before anyone else. The comics storyline with him being prophesied and all that stuff is WAY too much, but we can definitely build the aura of elite minds and a young character that doesn't beleive how strong he is. This idea can be developed, but Points 1-8 still stand.

Is there a love interest, why is John compelled to do anything, why doesn't he leave, why does he accept in the first place?

Another good question. I like this line of quetioning. Katma Tui, would be the love interest for John, but not a major part of the movie. Hal is a ladies man, and would be portrayed as such, with a line reference from John asking about "girls back home" to which Hal either falls silent or changes the discussion. John comes along because he has nothing better to do (as in the comics) and because it sounds like the opportunity of a lifetime, as unbeleivable as it is. When he wants to quit there's not only the girl, but he feels shouldered with responsibility, and thus, compelled to stay. A scene where he ponders leaving does sound interesting though. These ideas can be developed, but Points 1-8 still stand.

My story which would involve Hal chanelling his second chance to face his fear and live up to the legacy of his father gives us a hero to root for, not just a complex villian plot to watch.

-See (all of) point 7 and replace "ED" with "Hal-Only Earth-Only movie."

My story which would involve Hal doing the many things he does best and John learning to channel his anger and doubt from his situation into a drive for his creativity, all in a fresh and amazing world/universe, not trying to make Hal take after Spider-Man, Batman, Superman or Wolverine. AND Points 1-8 still stand.

As for the strength of Emerald Dawn and Showcase. Both you and GL1 don't seem to understand, so I will say it for you again....I AM NOT FOLLOWING ED. There got it, good.

We know that, and we've addressed that, perhaps multiple times. What about the weakness of Emerald Dawn that your story still holds? Address that. In caps if you like.

-See (all of) point 7 and replace "ED" with "Hal-Only Earth-Only movie."

Points 1-8 still stand.

In the light of that, another good question that could have been brought up by ShadowBoxing... how DO the GLs use their rings differently?

Hal should keep the classics. Boxing gloves. Wrenches. Standard items on a bigger scale with a slight bit of comical flair. And bubbles. Everyone loves bubbles. Hal is adept at using the ring's scanning technology as well.

John starts out with beams and walls, but soon learns he can create intricate devices and in the end graduates to building all sorts of complicated machines out of thin air.

Sinestro excels in holograms, deception and mind games, though he produces exotic blades and animals when he is in a direct conflict.

Katma knows how to use the ring for mental powers, and does so in her few appearances.

Kilowogg, a trainer, does a bit of everything, though typically he uses GL-fueled uber-strength, he'll open his hand and give you a high-tech green device just as easily.

not sure any more GLs should be featured in the first movie, at least not fighting as individuals. The partnership idea audiences are familiar with from real life cops, and the trainee idea from Star Wars (or Training Day, take your pick). It allows them to feature two human GLs, but more would be... pushing it.

 

[dnno1]

No, actually it is not, since no Transformers story features only Prime, while most the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s GL stories feature Hal Jordan as the only or focal character. Optimus Prime is a leader of a battlion, not a lone policeman of a sector of the Universe.



I am going to play general audience member #1

Why do we need two humans if Green Lanterns patrol their respective sectors. If it is a sampling, then Hal apparently already is the earth sample.

Who are the Manhunters, is this explained, why does Sinestro hate the league.

Shouldn't Sinestro have different powers from GL, not just be a yellow version of him, that is redundant and boring to me.

Why is he recruiting him when the CORP is in upheaval? It seems like that should be dealt with first.

Why does he recruit this guy, John?

Is there a love interest, why is John compelled to do anything, why doesn't he leave, why does he accept in the first place?

This story is extremely weak. The origin of Hal gives us an accidental origin to GL, and as you will see I do an excellent job of connecting both reason and motivation to the character. Your premise is extremely detached, and I am already detrached from it. You, like most comic fans, think it is all about the villian. You have given me an interesting villian premise, however I already find myself rooting for the villian since his pressence grabs my attention more than Hal and John's. If I were John, frankly this deal seems like it is not worth it, I would quit by the end of the film.

My story which would involve Hal chanelling his second chance to face his fear and live up to the legacy of his father gives us a hero to root for, not just a complex villian plot to watch.



Hence your problem. Transformers the Movie very much parrallels Star Wars Episodes I-III in the fact that Transformers the movie almost makes no reference to what the Transformers "were" or "how they came to be". To fans the movie was excellent, a cult classic. But unlike Star Trek and Star Wars and LOTR (and HGttG), Transformers is unknown. To general audiences Transformers The Movie is seen as confusing, aloof, all action/no substance, and several reviewers noted "they did not care about the characters". This would evitably be your GL film. Star Trek, Star Wars, even Batman and Spider-Man bank on strong existing fanbases and have a public who has a general knowledge of what they are about. As far as the public is concerned you could make Green Lantern in a fat guy who created a giant green pair of boxer shorts to fight crime (actual pitched idea).

Your character has a strong mythology, but such mythologies took 40 years to develop. As you point out there are several factions and races and GL. Each race needs to be developed and created, and done in the first act. It's easy to write Episode I when the abscence of your series has only served to strengthen it's pressence in the public mind.

Secondly, again you seem very married to the doing it exactly like the comic. This is always trouble with fan scripts. While your ideas sound good to a comic fan, they are very convienent. Almost, if not exactly, what occurs in the comic. Nolan, for example, was not so stupid as to assume the general audience would just believe that bat villians simply went crazy and dawned masks. He carefully established reasons (the fear gas on Arkham Inmates and escalation) for why villians like Scarecrow become more Batman-esque.

Raimi understood no one would buy the convienent lab explosions and webshooters comic fans seemed so married to. X-Men director Bryan Singer understood that the "yellow spandex" and large team was too much for his movies. Instead utilizing the creative solution of including mutants as cameo students, as opposed to X-Men.



As for the strength of Emerald Dawn and Showcase. Both you and GL1 don't seem to understand, so I will say it for you again....I AM NOT FOLLOWING ED. There got it, good . I would be making A LOT of changes, including more focus on his relationship with his father, more villians, more mystery regarding the ring, more of the pain associated with it, and even a huge twist at the end which would bring in the Guardians of Oa. However the general creation of the hero in the story is very strong, especially the scene with Abin Sur, which is crucial to the GL mythology.

You sound as if you are writing the script for the movie and that you have actally read the script to "Transformers".

Look, it seems like the trend nowadays is to stick to the sorce material. That is supposedly the way to make a good comicbook film (and probably why it would seem that we are married to that phylosophy). "Spiderman" did stick to the source material because the main character was bitten by a spider (although genetically enhanced instead of radio active) and in "X-Men" they did use characters from the comic book and there was a school that was run by professor Xavier so they drew information from the source material as well. What I have been trying to illustrate is that you can do the same thing with the Green Lantern mythos and yet still write an epic story with lots of action, romance, and adventure that could attract a large enough demographic to make it a block buster pic. I am not necessarily following ED either. I would only refernce ED as an underlying plot marking the birth, death, and redemption of a hero (Emerald Dawn, Emerald Twilight, and Rebirth) that would compliment the Green Lantern trillogy. I wouldn't go as far as making the story as personal as you would like it (focusing on the relationship between Hal and his father) since it is not necessary to make the film a hit, but once again, that is the writer's choice. I also wouldn't call placing a focus on the mystery regarding the ring a change since you would be introducing a storyline that would be informative and could potentially explain a lot of science that is not covered in the source material (it is more like a refinement to the story). Once again (but not for the last time) my illustration is just to show that a space based epic about the Green Lantern mythos could be done and could be lucrative if you write the script to target the right market. I feel that the fact that you are attempting to court both Trekies and Wookies as well as fans of the fantasy genere to watch the film -- given the size of that demographic -- would be worth the risk of an investor (be it the studio alone or in a partnership) putting up the money to finance such a project.

 

[GL1]

Man, I sure wish this was a thread about developing ideas. I mean, man...

This is the toughest three pages I've ever seen!

That said, what are the popular planets of GL myth? Other than, y'know Mogo... and Xanshi... and Earth. Perhaps locales and scenes on Korugar, Bolovax Vik, Dhor (Kanjar Ro's crime-ridden planet), H'lven and maybe even a flyby of Rann, Czarnia or Tamaran. What a stunning way to introduce DC's vast cosmos!

 

[dnno1]

Maltus (homeworld of the Maltusians).
Qward (homeworld of the Qwardians)
Yquem (site for a gathering of Green Lanterns to learn from each other -- kind of like a round table)
Ysmault (throneworld of the Empire of Tears)

Of course you forgot to mention Oa.

 

[dnno1]

Vulcan Green Lantern

Also the planet Vulcan was in a Green Lantern story. In GL Vol 2 #90 and #97 there was an appearance of a Vulcan GL (although his name is not mentioned). He apparently had some input on the improvements made on the power rings that were made some time ago.

 

[Dr. Fate]

Vulcan Green Lantern

Also the planet Vulcan was in a Green Lantern story. In GL Vol 2 #90 and #97 there was an appearance of a Vulcan GL (although his name is not mentioned). He apparently had some input on the improvements made on the power rings that were made some time ago.

Oh that's good!

Hey, have there been any in depth casting discussions on who could play Carol Ferris/Star Sapphire?

 

[Hellstormer]

Holy crap you people are typing alot in this thread, I knopw some people who are gonna develope carple tunnel (I spelled that so wrong)

 

[Dr. Fate]

Holy crap you people are typing alot in this thread, I knopw some people who are gonna develope carple tunnel (I spelled that so wrong)

Tis a popular topic.

So who would you cast as Carol Ferris/Star Sapphire?

 

[SKSpawn]

With only a limited knowledge of the exact scope of Green Lantern's exact mythos, here's what I'd like to see in a GL movie:

* Hal Jordan is Green Lantern. Yes, Alan Scott was the first but Hal is the most recognisable and popular GL.

* Hal recieves his ring from Abin Sur, as in the comics, although I'd have Abin's crash and death be the work of Sinestro.

* Sinestro should be the anti-GL, he should come to Earth to conquer and rule, or whatever, and wreak some good havoc. He should have underlings or some type or matserplan, though I don't know exactly what.

* Hal and Carole should either be together or at least close to being together in this film, he should be an Air Force pilot and there should be some drama about that.

* Hal could either know John Stewart and/or Guy Gardener and they could be there as side characters, or we should at least see them in come capacity as a nod to the fans.

* Oa and the Guardians should be mentioned but not seen, necessarily, or diviluged into that much.

I see it as being a kind of like Spider-Man only with more mature characters and a greater sense of scope to the world. I think Sinestro should be like Magneto in the X-Men films and live to fight another day. The sequel could open up to Oa, other Lantern's, other GL enemies and such. It would be pretty kewl to see Jordan, Guy, Kyle and John all as GL's but it's unlikely really and I would personally stick with Hal as the main character for at least two films.

I like the idea of GL being Sci-Fi but the first should really focus on Earth.

 

[griffolyon12]

I would very much like to do an origin story for Kyle.Start off the film showing Kyle's life in New York(skipping LA),his relationship with serious girlfriend Alexandria,and show that he is a very talented artist but doesn't do much with his talent.Then after a fight between him and Alex about him not wanting to commit and go to the next level,the last power ring falls in his hands and through the ring he learns of Oa and the former Green Lantern Corps.He at first looks at the ring as a way to make him get what he wants whenever he wants not wanting to accept the mantle of Green Lantern.He feels better about himself and finally proposes to Alex.Meanwhile Alex helps Kyle hone his powers and tries to encourage him to use it for the good of mankind in which Kyle doesn't want and angered leaves.Meanwhile we learn that Major Force has come looking for the last power ring and traces it back to Kyle.Major Force shows up at Kyle's apartment to only find Alex and he kills her,and Kyle walks in and finds her dead in front of Major Force.This sets Kyle off on Major Force using his ring to fight him,through his anger he nearly kills him but cannot follow through with it and turns him over to the police.Alex's death set Kyle into motion and he believes that her death was his fault and he takes the mantle of the Green Lantern and begins fighting crime.

Alex's death also got Kyle more serious with his job with him now as a very steady comic strip artist for a New York newspaper.Even with Kyle now fighting crime trying to pay for past sins he still mourns Alex and through his mourning his mind creates Oblivion who takes over Kyle and he begins turning evil.But Kyle is able to seperate himself from Oblivion,but can't bring himself to face his inner fears.While Oblivion begins engulfing Earth in darkness and fear.Eventually he gets the courage to fight Oblivion and is able to draw him away from earth and into space continuing the feud in space.To shorten the fight he eventually knocks Oblivion into the sun thinking he finished him and Kyle returns to Earth victorious and established as Earth's saviour.

Now the story has tons of drama,but enough action and fun to keep it acceptable to general audiences.The goal is to deliver something that will suceed in the box office with the general audience,but have enough substance to satisfy critics and fans.As far as cast I would want someone in their mid to late 20s for Kyle and Alexandria,preferrably someone known for Kyle but I could spring for an unknown.And for Major Force I would want a bodybuilder type actor,possibly someone like the Rock who is a decent actor but can physically pull off the role.As far as budget I could see it anywhere from $150-205 million.

But this is my ideal Green Lantern movie.I have never actually read Kyle's origin(I've tried to find it but it's hard to find),but I've learned most major points from reading the comics for about the past three years,and reading his profile on the DC comics website.I hope I am truthful to the source,but the story is in my opinion a good first movie which the main goal for the first one is to get the general audience into the character and learn all about the Green Lantern.

 

[batlovescatDC]

Hal Jordan... the greatest Green Lantern ever should be the protagonist.. I think it should feel and look like a mix between Superman and the greatest sci-fi movies ever made. It seems that Sinestro would be a good live action villain. I have no idea who should play him. The other villain (actually villainess) that I know of Hal's is Carol Ferris a.k.a. Star Sapphire. I saw her in the her first apperance on Justice League and have loved her ever since. She should be atleast ONE of the major antagonists of the film. I would say that Shannyn Sossamon would be great in the role. As far as who should play Green Lantern... I have three recommendations: Mark Wahlberg, Ian Somerhalder, or Chris Klein. DIRECTOR AND WRITER: J.J. ABRAMS

 

[batlovescatDC]

Actually I have decided that John Malkovich would be great to play Sinestro. Just thought of that.

 

[ron bond 007]

I want nothing more than A Green Lantern movie or a trilogy or even mutiple GL movies. I think it always has similarities to Star Wars and Superman. The GL corps remind me of the Jedi Knights. There could be lots of space action,space battles a la Star Wars,Star Trek and heroic resuces and adventures a la Superman,Batman and Indiana Jones.

I want nothing more than to see my favorite GL Hal Jordan kicking ass the evil Sinestro. I think Nathan Fillon from Firefly/Serenity would make a good Hal Jordan,Sean Connery would be one of the Gaurdians of the Universe,John Travolta or Pierce Brosnan could be Senestro,Anthony Hopkins could play Abin Sur And Neve Campbell or Reese Witherspoon would make a beautiful Carol Ferris. Bruce Willis could play Kilowog the alien GL and in future installments Nick Stahl could play Kyle Rayner,Will Smith could play Jon Stweart and Brad Pitt or Matt Damon could play Guy Gardner.



I always thought Hal Jordan was sauve and debonair like James Bond.


By the way according to Wikipedia a GL movie is going to come out in 2009.


:gl:

 

[blake]

 

[dnno1]

I think this poster over at the Comic Block is on the right track.

 

[dnno1]

...By the way according to Wikipedia a GL movie is going to come out in 2009...

I don't see where it says that and I doubt that it was ever stated there.